Crank device for internal-combustion engines.



G. C. CORNELL.

GRANK DEVICE POR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Y APPLIqATIoN FILED JULY 1, 1911.

1,037,133. Patented Aug. 2,7, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

` arianna,

. G.0.C0ENELL. CRANE DEVICE PoE INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINES.

I vAPPLICATION FILED JULYI, 1911. I 1,037', 1 33 Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

SHOW,

GEORGE C. CORNELL, GF CANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CRANK DEVICE FOR IN TERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Ag. 27, 1912I Applicationfiled July 1, 1911. Serial No. 636,327'.

structed device which may be readily ati` tached to any type of internalcombustion engine, so as to prevent accidents resulting from backfiring. y

A further object of the invention is the provision' of an attachment ofthis character which obviates 'the use of the usual clutch disconnectingspring and which embodies a brake adapted to control the revolution ofthe clutch shaft when the engine back tires,

so that thel impetus given said clutch shaft will be immediatelystopped.

Further objects of the invent-ion will appear as-the following specicdescription is read. in connection with the accompanying drawingswhichform a part of this application, vandin whichz'- y Figure l is a frontelevation of the device shown applied to an automobile. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the salne showing a portion of the automobile in sectionand showing the parts in normal'position. Fig. 3 is a similar viewshowing the parts in operative cranking position. Fig. 4 is a horizontalsection taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective viewofthe brake .-10 arm. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective viewA of aportion of a segment and the brake arm bracket carried thereby.

Referring more particularly' to the drawings,``1 represents an ordinaryengine shaft having a clutch element- 2 mounted upon its outer end andadapted to engage a similar' clutch element 3 carried upon the crank'shaft 4jwhich'is provided, as is usual, with the crank 5, the shaftbeing'journaled l'in a I bearing 6 carried upon the radiator frame 7.

The attachment comprises a segment 8 having a hub 9 to surround theshaft 4. This hub is held rigid with the bearing G in l any suitablemanner and preferably islconstructed so as to be adjustable upon the fbearingto provide for engines cranking in opposite directions, as willbe understood. The segment 8 has journaled in its rim 10 and'in its hub9 a radially extending shaft 11 having keyed thereto an eccentric 12 60which may e of any suitable formation found most desirable in practice.This eccentric 1s operated and the shaft turned in one direction by aspiral spring 13 which surrounds the shaft 11 and hasits respective 65ends connected to the hub 9 and to the cam' 12 so as to throw the latteroutwardly beyond the side of the segment. 8.

Lying within the path of the eccentric and adapted to be engaged therebyis a wheel 14 70v which 1s adjustably keyed to the shaft- 4 by means ofa set screw 15, so that when the operator releases-his hold or pressureupon the crank the spring 13, acting through the eccentric and wheel 14,will force the shaft i 4 outwardly through the bearing 6 and disconnectthe clutch member 3 from its assof ciate 2 upon the shaft 1.

Projected outwardly from the segment 8 is a slotted bracket 16 havinganged sides 17 30 between which the long end of a right angular b rakearm 18 is mounted.y This long arm 1s also slotted, as shown at 19, so asto receive a set-screw 2() which holds the arm in v adjustedpositionupon the bracket, the flanges 17 -preventing sidewise movementof the arm, as will be understood. The short` leg ofthe arm 18 ispreferably fitted with a shoe 2Q- of some friction material which 4willalso cushion the impact of the wheel 14. 90

This short leg overhangs the wheel as shown and when the latter isthrown out by the action of the eccentric, as will hereinafter bedescribed, engages the Wheel and retards or stops its rotation. Themovement of the wheel is regulated by the arm 18, so as to accommodatethe depth of the teeth in the clutch members 2 and 3.' The face of theeccentric and the inner side of the wheel 14 are preferably milled, soas to insure 1 00 proper coaction between these parts.

In the operation of the devies the operator grasps the crank. 5 androtates the shaft 4 in the direction of the arrow, shown in Fig. 1, atthe same time forcing the shaft inwardly so as to engage the clutch`member 3 with its associate 2 on the engine shaft 1. Should a back fireoccur when the clutch members are in engagement with each other and theparts arranged as shown in Fig. '3, 110

the Wheel V14 rotating inthe opposite direction from that shownby thearrow in Fig. 1

and beingin engagement with the eccentric .will cause the eccentric tobe thrown outwardly, thus moving the Wheel 14 away from the segment andthe clutch niember 3 away from the-clutch naznber 2, IThis action mayand the tension of the spring 13 reversed, if

necessary, to accommodate the device to Oppositely cranking machines.

`Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is :mt

1.` The combination with an engine shaft` and a cranking shaft adaptedto engage and operate thesame, of a circular member adjnstably securedto the cranking shaft a star tiona'ry mounting, eccentric journaled atright angles to the axis ofthe circular member in said stationarymounting, meansnormally tendingto throw the eccentric to operativeposition, whereby the circular member anti the cranking shaft are thrownaway from the engine shaft, and mea-ns for limiting t-he relativeseparation of the circular member and engine shaft and for retardingthemovement ofthe circular member in one direction.

2. The combination with an engine shaft and a cranking shaft thereformounted to slide toward and. away from said engine shaft, ofinterchanging clutch members on said shafts, a circular member carriedby the cranking shaft, a stationary mounting, a spring operatedeccentric carried by the mounting and normally engaging the circularmember and holding the clutch upon the cranking shaft out of engagementwith the clutch member on the engine shaft, and an adjustable brakingdevice adapted to',engage the circular member to retard its'rotationwhen operated 1n a reverse direct-lon from the normal rotationof the englne shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.GEORGE @continui Witnesses-f L. E. WAL'mRs.

Copies of this patent iify lic nbtined for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner cf Patente,

Washington, D. C.

